Spinal column impact device



Feb. 7, 1961 T. H. DAVID SPINAL COLUMN IMPACT DEVICE Filed Jan. 29, 19591 e 2o 1 4s 9 .20 Fl 9 4. lj 4a 4 E;:

A INVENTOR.

Tonous H. David BY 7;/ TJJ United States PatetitU 2,970,592 SPINALCOLUMN IMPACT DEVICE Tanous H. David, 5400 Aileen Way, Sacramento,Calif. Filed Jan. 29, 1959, Ser. No. 789,895 1 Claim. (Cl. 128-69) Thisinvention relates to a device for creating a controlled impact about thespinal column and is an improvement of that type of apparatus asgenerally described in United States Letters Patent No. 1,722,662,issued July 30, 1929.

In treatments of the spinal column of the human back it is desirable tocreate controlled impact at preselected areas immediately over andadjacent the spinal column.

A principal object of this invention is to create a device which morespecifically controls the impact that is created either on orimmediately adjacent both sides of the spinal column.

A feature and advantage of this invention is the provision of two padseach of which is arranged to translate impact from a single plungermechanism to the area immediately adjacent the spinal column. The padsare further facilitated with means of relative positioning with respectto the unitary plunger mechanism so that the relative amount of forcetranslated to each pad from the plunger mechanism can be regulated.

Another object of this invention is to create an impact creating devicefor the spinal column employing a plunger mechanism having a pluralityof stops which effectively limits the stroke of action of the plungermechanism so that the translated force from the plunger mechanism to theback can be adjustably controlled.

Another feature and advantage of this invention is that a constantamount of pressure may be applied on the plunger mechanism against theback. However, the amount of force which is translated to the back maybe varied by adjusting the stroke limits of the plunger mechamsm.

A further object of this invention is to provide pads which areindividually mounted on spring means so as to create a relativelyunyieldable head which is spring mounted in combination with the plungermechanism to cushion the translation of impact from the plungermechanism to the spinal column.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon readingthe following specification and referring to the accompanying drawingsin which similar characters of reference represent corresponding partsin each of the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of the principal embodiment of theinvention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1 taken at line 2-2.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 1 taken at line 33.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the details of the shaft of theactuating mechanism for the impact creating device.

In the principal embodiment of the invention there is provided acylindrical housing A having a bracket 16 mounted on the bottom of thehousing and adapted to carry a pair of pads B and C.

A plunger mechanism D is mounted within cylindrical housing A to createimpact within the housing which can be translated to pads B and C.

F ice Plunger mechanism D includes a shaft 20 with an actuating handle23 mounted on the extreme end of the shaft external of housing A. Theopposite end 24 of shaft 20 is interior of housing A and is guided bytwo cylindrical collars 25 for axial reciprocal movement longitudinallyof the cylindrical housing.

The bottom of housing A is blanketed with a tip pad 28 which stopsdownward movement of the bottom end 24 of shaft 20 at the limit of itsdownward stroke. Impact is created by manually forcing handle 23 downwardly until bottom end 24 strikes the abutment 28 wherein the impact istranslated to the housing and thence to the two pads B and C.

A spring 30 is mounted within housing A and is urged against pad 28 andthe lower collar 25 to return shaft 20 to the normal position after themanually created impact.

Bracket 16 mounted on the bottom of housing A extends laterallyoutwardly to provide two outwardly extending ears 32. Each ear isprovided with a longitudinal cutout 33. The pads are mounted on each ear32 respectively via a screw 34 and a wing nut 35. The pads areadjustably mounted so that they may be moved inwardly toward oroutwardly from the central axis of housing A. By this means either pad Bor C may be positioned substantially closer to the central axis ofhousing A or alternatively further away from. The relative distance eachpad extends outwardly from the central axis of housing A will determinethe relative percentage of impact which is translated from the impactcreating device to the pads. Thus for example, if pads B and C are at anequal distance from the central axis of housing A there will be an equaltranslation of impact to the two pads. This is useful when the two padsare centrally positioned over the spinal column so that the impact maybe equal on both sides of the spinal column. Should the spinal column bemisplaced to one side more than the other the pads can be alinged sothat one of the pads would be substantially closer to the central axisof the impact creating device than the other pad. Thus by this means agreater percentage of the impact would be directed to one pad than tothe other thus rendering the proper amount of relative pressure on bothsides of the spinal column.

Pads B and C each comprise a base plate 40 which is connected directlyto screw 34 and a spring member 41 connected to base plate 40 to providea resilient buffer between the impact of the impact creating device andthe pad mechanism. A semi-resilient material is used to form theengaging head 45 of pads B and C. Spring 41 is extremely important informing a lbulfer between the translation of force from the impactcreating device and head 45. With the provision of the spring thematerial forming head 45 may be even a rigid material such as hardrubber without causing any danger to the spinal column.

Shaft 20 is provided with a plurality of holes 48 formed to receive astop member 49. With the provision of the stop member in a certain oneof the holes the stroke limits of shaft 20 are limited whereinstop-member 49 engages the top wall 50 of housing A, thus limiting thedownward movement of shaft 20 at a position substantially above theimpact creating condition wherein end 24 impacts with pad 28. This isextremely useful where different opeartors desire to use the device andeach operator has his own power of stroke. By adjusting "stop member 49to the proper location the amount of Although the foregoing inventionhas been described in some detail by way of illustration and example forpurposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certainchanges andrnodifiactions may be practiced within the spirit of theinvention asjlimited only by the scopelof the appended claim.

What is claimed is: a

In an impact deviee thecombination of a cylindrical housing, a shaftreciprocally mounted within said housing, spring bias means connected tosaid shaft and said housing to urge said shaft and housing to anextended position; a pair of ears mounted on the bottom of said housingextending in opposite directions outwardly from the central axis of saidhousing, pads adjustably mounted on said ears for relative movementtoward and away from the central axis of said housing, said shaft beingformed with a plurality of apertures, and a pin selectively mounted inone of said apertures, the top of said housing forming an abutmentagainst which said pin engages when said shaft is forced downwardly.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 768,523Dittmar Aug. 23, 1904 949,796 Howard Feb. 22, 1910 1,640,536 David Aug.30, 1927 1,722,662 David July 30, 1929

